Kitchen Remodeling: How to Know When It's Time
Kitchens are built to last a long time, but no kitchen will last forever. Which means every decade or two, you're going to have to deal with the project that is kitchen remodeling. Deciding to take on a kitchen renovation is no small feat, though. It's costly, and requires months of work. So how do you know when it's truly time to pull the trigger on a redesign? Here are a few ways to know for sure.
How to know when it's time to remodel your kitchen
It's separate from the rest of the home.
For the last fifteen years, home design has been all about open concept. This allows for easier flow from one room to another, and a feeling of togetherness: parents can watch children while making dinner, and hostesses can interact with guests while throwing a party. If your kitchen is a room unto itself, disconnected from the family room or great room, it's high time you had the space redesigned for modern living.
Your appliances are energy guzzlers.
Energy Star versions of all kitchen appliances have also been available for over a decade now. If all of yours are still energy-suckers, do your monthly electricity bill and the environment a favor by making the upgrade to more energy-efficient versions.
It doesn't suit your lifestyle.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and a space we use multiple times per day, so it should be both comfortable and functional. If you moved into your home when you and your husband were newlyweds, for example, and you now have three kids, there's a good chance the way you use your kitchen has changed. If the space doesn't suit your needs, that's a telltale sign that it's due for a remodel.
Things are breaking left and right.
Sometimes, things just run their course. If your cabinets only stay closed when you tie the knobs together, your dishwasher sounds like a jet preparing for takeoff, and faucet leaks no matter how many times you tighten it, it's time for a total remodel.